US1958451A

US1958451A - Violin positioning attachment

Info

Publication number: US1958451A
Application number: US652706A
Authority: US
Inventors: Syverston Agmund
Original assignee: LESTER LAMKIN W
Current assignee: LESTER LAMKIN W; W LESTER LAMKIN
Priority date: 1933-01-20
Filing date: 1933-01-20
Publication date: 1934-05-15
Anticipated expiration: 1951-05-15

Description

y 1934. A. SYVERSTON VIOLIN POSITIONING ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 20, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ray;

Inventor May 15, 1934.

A. SYVYERSTON 1,958,451

VIOLIN POS ITIONING ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 20, 1.933

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor v7 i Va A??? By 2mm flllorney Patented May 15, 1934 VIOLIN POSITIONING ATTACHMENT Agmund Syverston, Porter-ville, Calif., assignor of axle-half to W. Lester Lamkin, Porterville,

alif.

Application January 20, 1933, Serial No. 652,706

Claims. (Cl. 84280) This invention relates to the broad class of stringed musical instrument accessories particularly of the variety known to the trade and profession as shoulder rests, and it has more particular reference to a unique duplex device which may be satisfactorily referred to, as a unit, as a positioning attachment.

I am Well aware of the fact that many different kinds of padded shoulder rests have been developed for use in connection with violins. As a matter of fact, the ordinary type comprises an adjustable pad and an attaching strap, one end of the strap being slitted to engage over the existing tail-piece button, and there being a rubberband at the opposite end of the strap to releasably engage over a projecting corner portion constituting a part of the rim of the body.

Notwithstanding the general feasibility and practicability of pads of the aforesaid type, I have discovered the need for a unitary device characterized by a double or duplex pad arrangement with one pad shaped and located to comfortably bear on the shoulder and the other pad satisfactorily positioned to rest or bear against the chest of the performer.

More specifically stated, I have evolved and produced a simple and economical device of a quick detachable type which when in position permits the instrument to assume a proper position and balance for insuring more dependable fingering and better bowing technique.

It is a matter of common knowledge that while ordinary marketed types of shoulder pads and rests afford good results, the construction is such as to have a tendency to interfere with responsiveness and brilliancy of tone forwhich reason said types of rests are found objectionable. By way of contrast, the novel stabilizing appurtenance constituting the novelty of this application not only affords requisite steadying facilities but actually enhances the tone by elevating or lifting the body of the instrument from muiiling contact with the body of -the player.

Other features and advantages will become 5 more readily apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan View of a conventional violin showing the attachment in place.

3 Figure 2 is a side view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear end elevation.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail section taken approximately on the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a similar view taken approximately on the plane of the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an inverted perspective view of the U-shaped attaching clip.

Referring to the illustrative drawings and giving attention in particular to Figure 3, it will be observed that the numeral 7 designates, as a whole, an ordinary violin. At the inner or rear end of this is a conventional headed button over which the anchoring noose 9 of the tailpiece 10 is engaged. Incidently, the noose 9 is simply a loop constructed of gut or equivalent material.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide a substantially U-shaped clip 11 of the type shown in Figure 6 and the arms of this terminate in attaching hooks 12. This clip is of resilient wire and the arms are maintained together but allowed to spread apart through the instrumentality of a simple rubberband 13. This clip 11 is hung over the button a and main- 5 tained in position with the hooks 12 disposed downwardly to accommodate the wire frame or carrier for the pads.

The wire frame may be divided into two portions, namely the longitudinally curved reach arm 14 and a brace extension 15, these parts being joined together through the instrumentality of an offset U-shaped connective portion which may be designated as a saddle 16. Manifestly, the bight portion of the saddle is adapted to engage in the keeper hooks 12. as shown in Figure 3.

Attached in any suitable way to the extremity of the brace arm 15 is a button-like chest pad 17.

At the opposite end the curved reach arm 14 is provided with a return bend 18 of the configuration illustrated in Figure 4 to the extremity 19 of which the main longitudinally bowed blocklike shoulder pad 20 is connected.

It will be noticed that this so-called wire carrier frame for the pads is properly proportioned and shaped to position the respective pads at the proper places to bear against the shoulder and chest respectively. Moreover, the brace arm 15 spaces the pad 17 away from the body of the instrument. Likewise, the return bend 18 which in addition to being resilient, permits the curved shoulder rest pad 20 to occupy the oblique position illustrated in Figure 1. Then too, the shape of the reach arm 14 is such as to conform to the natural curvature of the adjacent butt end of the instrument.

I next call attention to the numeral 21 which merely designates a well-known type of rubber band which is attached at one end to the portion 18 of theframe and has its opposite free end portion located to be stretched over'and releasably engaged with the portion 22 of the instrument shown in Figures 1 and 2. The numerals 23 simply designate rubber sleeves which function as protectors to prevent the metal from contacting the vibratory wood of the instrument. Moreover, these sleeves prevent scarring of the highly polished surfaces of the instrument which co-act with the attachment.

The gist of the invention is found in the construction of a suitably shaped frame susceptible of quick detachable connection at its central portion with the suspension hooks 12 of the retaining clip 11, said frame having appropriate rubber protectors and being formedat opposite ends with the distinguishable pads. Each pad is shaped .to conform more or less to the part of the anatomy with which it co-operates. Both pads are spaced away from the back of the instrument. As an additionalmaintenance feature the rubber band 20 comes in handy. It is understood that the clip ll which is adjustable to different s zed buttons is left in place and that the frame is detached from the hooks 12 when the instrument is put away in its carrying case.

The detachable part, as a unit, is light weight and small and'capable of being carried in the musical instrument case without trouble.

" requisite angle to facilitate bowing.

vention will be readily apparent.

' 7 It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the in- It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

,I claim:

1. A violin positioning attachment of the class described comprising a frame, means for detachably connecting the frame with an existing tailpiece anchoring button on the butt end of the instrument, and a pair of pads attached to opposite end portions of said frame, one pad serving to cooperate with the shoulder of the player and the other pad to bear against the chest of the player.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a violin rest of the class described comprising an attaching frame, pads attached to opposite end portions of said frame, the intermediate portion of the frame embodying a portion for detachable connection with the existing button on the butt end of the instrument, the end portions of the frame being offset to spacethe pads away from the back of the instrument and to elevate the instrument from direct contactwith the body of the player. 3. As a new article of manufacture, a violin rest of the class described comprising an attaching frame, pads attached to opposite end portions of said frame, the intermediate portion of the frame embodying a portion for detachable connection with the existing button on the butt end f the instrument, the end portions of the frame being offset to space the pads away from the back of the instrument and to elevate the instrument from direct contact with the body of the player, one of said pads being of elongated block-like form and curved to bear upon the shouldenthe other pad being of disc-like form to bear against the chest of the player.

4. A violin positioning attachment of the class described comprising a substantially U-shaped attaching clip having its arm portions formed with retaining hooks, a positioning device comprising a frame detachably connected with said hooks, and pads attached to the frame at longitudinally spaced points, one pad serving to bearv against the shoulder, and the other pad serving to bear against the chest in the manner described.

5. A violin accessory of the class described comprising a wire maintenance frame having its intermediate portion formed into a substantially U-shaped saddle, having one end portion curved and formed into a reach arm, said reach arm terminating in a return :bend, a shoulder pad attached to' said return bend, the opposite end portion of said frame being formed into a brace arm, and a second pad attached to said brace arm to rest against the chest of the user.

AGMUND SYVERSTON.